THE SCORCHED #25, by Image Comics on 1/17/24, unveils the Viscerator as the newest threat to the Scorched, returning from imprisonment after a battle with Medieval Spawn centuries ago.
The Details
- Written by: John Layman, Todd McFarlane
- Art by: Stephen Segovia
- Colors by: Jay David Ramos
- Letters by: AndWorld Design
- Cover art by: Federico Sabbatini (cover A)
- Comic Rating: Teen
- Cover price: $2.99
- Release date: January 17, 2024
Is THE SCORCHED #25 Good?
Viscerator is the new demon on the block, and in The Scorched #25, John Layman and Todd McFarlane give you the lowdown on the monster with a score to settle against Medieval Spawn, who also happens to be Violator’s sister. It looks like the apple didn’t fall far from the Hellish tree.
When last we left The Scorched, Jessica Priest vowed a recommitment to a smaller, more focused team comprised of herself, Medieval Spawn, and Redeemer. Elsewhere, a holy man with reckless intent released the demon named Viscerator, trapped for centuries under a church in York. Now, we learn Viscerator’s role as a servant of Malebolgia, her connection to Violator, and her quarrel with Medieval Spawn just in time for the new team to take the demon down.
For readers keeping score of the greater Spawnverse, it’s unclear where this story sits within the currently-raging Heaven/Hell war and the race to claim Hell’s Throne. Considering the size of the team and the lack of urgency to pursue the next mission, we suspect this story takes place after the war is over. We’ll provide an update in future reviews if that suspicion proves incorrect.
What’s great about THE SCORCHED #25? Viscerator’s backstory is interesting in that her service to Malebolgia and Hell is far from drama-free. As a plus, we get to see how Violator earned his clown persona as a form of punishment.
What’s not so great about THE SCORCHED #25? Against one Hellspawn, Viscerator may be a handful. Against three? Not so much. In the first battle for a new character, it would have served Viscerator’s status as a villain to make a more intimidating first impression.
How’s the art? Stephen Segovia is more well known to us as an artist for Dynamite, but it’s good to see Segovia’s high artistic quality is relatively consistent across publishers, and may have even improved a bit. The creature designs and Hellish landscapes are impressive, and the action is fierce.
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What’s THE SCORCHED #25 About?
[SPOILERS AHEAD – Click here if you just want the score without spoilers]
Check out our THE SCORCHED #24 review to find out how the Viscerator was released from her prison.
We begin with a flashback to 500 years ago when Violator lost an earthly battle against Medieval Spawn. Humiliated, Malebolgia transformed the Violator into Clown as a ridiculing form of punishment. From the shadows, a voice encourages the punishment. The voice belongs to Viscerator, Violator’s sister, as a prelude to taking Violator’s job as general of Hell’s army.
For a time, Viscerator became a curse to humanity until Medieval Spawn bound her and trapped her under an ancient cathedral. Now, Viscerator attacks The Scorched for revenge and to please her master, not realizing Malebolgia was killed by Spawn during her imprisonment.
We conclude the issue with a good guess, word games, and foreshadowing.
Keep scrolling for a closer look at preview images of the internal pages, or Click Here to jump right to the score.
Final Thoughts
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THE SCORCHED #25 delivers the backstory on The Scorched’s latest enemy while setting the stage for big trouble on the horizon. Viscerator’s origins and powers make her a potentially formidable foe, and Segovia’s art is excellent. That said, Viscerator comes off as a little rusty after a long prison term, so her status isn’t quite up to the snuff of a top-tier villain.
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